The U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued draft regulations in April 2022 to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, products used disproportionately by Black smokers.
The FDA says modeling studies estimate this ban could save as many as 654,000 lives over the course of 40 years.
Now, health advocates across the country want the agency to finalize the regulations as groups backed by the tobacco industry try to mobilize smokers to fight the ban.
On Cincinnati Edition, we discuss the ban and what impact it could have on the health of people in Greater Cincinnati and across the nation.
Guests:
- Carol McGruder, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council co-chair
- Megan Folkerth, Interact for Health program director for Health Policy & Systems
Moreinformation about the FDA’s proposed rules can be found online.
Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
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